


Consequences

by Sukuangtou



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Blood, Description of Injuries, Episode: s03e21 Same As It Never Was, SAINW, Same As It Never Was
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 16:24:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9499982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sukuangtou/pseuds/Sukuangtou
Summary: A base of the Resistance is attacked by Shredder's soldiers, and Raph witnesses the aftermath.SAINW





	

The Resistance was in absolute chaos. 

Raphael had hardly been greeted, instead practically shoved inside by an overworked teenager who had instantly left him as more wounded arrived. All around him, people, _children_ , were running around, carrying bandages, bags of blood, and all sorts of other medical equipment. While Raph was far from squeamish, knowing that all these items were needed and what that implies still gave him shivers. 

He managed to catch a small child, barely ten, by the shoulder as they scampered by. Big brown eyes widened at him.  
“Hey Kid,” Raph got down on one knee so he was on the same level, “What’s goin’ on around here?”

“What do you mean?”

“What happened, why’s everyone hurt?”

“Oh.” The child glanced away, and under his hand Raph felt him stiffen. His stature took on a soldier brought to attention. “The other base was attacked. They were trapped in there for a week before we could get through Shredder’s men to save them. These are all the people who survived.”

A silence fell between them, both watching as a stretcher was brought by, a stained sheet used to hastily cover the body. Something ached within Raph’s chest, increasing tenfold as the kid turned back to him, acting as if this was an everyday occurrence. It probably was.

“Are you related to Uncle Mike?” Raph blinked.

“Uncle Mike?” The child nodded.

“Mmhm. He’s a turtle too. He was in charge at the other base, so I didn’t get to see him often. But he always gave me sweeties when I did.”

“Did he now?” Raph kept his face neutral. “D’you know where Uncle Mike is?”

“He’s in one of the hospital rooms down there.” He pointed down a particularly busy corridor, “But they won’t let me see him.”

“How ‘bout I go check on him for ya?” Standing, Raph ruffled the kids hair, making him laugh. Navigating his way through the rushing people, Raph made his way from room to room, taking in the hundreds of wounded soldiers, adults and children alike, who were laid across dirty beds. There were broken limbs, lost limbs, those unconscious and half-conscious, those so high on meds that they had no idea what was going on, and somewhere amongst it all was his baby brother.

Briefly, as he continued to search, he wondered if Mikey had changed much since he’d left. Presumably so, if he had been in charge of a resistance base. Last Raph knew Mike had only been one of the soldiers, standings among the others as they attacked the factories, warehouses, and all the other buildings that Shredder had guarded. 

“Raph?” 

Spinning, Raphael’s lone eye locked onto the form of his brother, who stood behind him leaning heavily on the wall. He was taller, and scarred from top to toe. Many were old, but most were new, looking fresh and swore. Bandages were wrapped tightly around his middle and down one leg. His right arm was holding him up; littered with cuts, while his left…

“Oh hell Mikey…” 

Without even thinking Raph lunged forward and wrapped his arms tightly around the youngest Hamato. Only one arm, one hand, returned the gesture. 

“M-Mikey…”

“Hey.”

His brother’s body was unnaturally warm against his own, and he could feel the trembling as Mikey struggled to hold his own weight. 

“You should be in bed, bro.”

“I’m ok, there’s a guy who needs it far more than me anyway.”

“Mike-”

“No Raph.” Pulling away, and staggering slightly as he does, Mikey gives him a hardened look, “You don’t get to march in and tell me what I do. I need to get to the control room; we need to work out how many men we’ve lost, _are still_ losing, how much equipment’s gone, and how much information the Shredder now has.” He moved to walk (stumble) around Raph, something unreadable in his expression.

“Mikey, you’re sick-” Raph reaches out but Mikey flinches away.

“I’m _fine_.”

“No, you’re not. You’ve got a fever, you’re weak-”

“I am very aware of how weak I am, Raph.”

And then Mikey, his baby brother and (once best) friend, gives him such a look, such a defeated, guilt-ridden look, that the world could have crashed completely around Raph and he wouldn’t notice. Immediately he brings Mikey back into his arms, even when his brother tries to fight against him.

“Listen to me, Mike, none of this is your fault.”

“Ha!”

“No, listen to me-”

“Why should I Raph?” Mikey is still struggling to get out of his hold, but Raph doesn’t let go, “You ran away from this, wiped your hands clean, decided that you would let _innocent people die_ before trying to get along with anyone, with Leo-”

“Don’t, Mikey.” He says, voice low and dangerous.

“See?” Raph finally lets his brother go, silently taking in the shaking body, the fevered cheeks and those pitiful, soldier eyes. “I can’t even mention him! You, in fact, both of you, ‘cause Leo went running too in case you didn’t notice, were so selfish that you couldn’t just help people! You wouldn’t! And where does that leave me, Raph? I’m still trying to sort out the mess you two made; most of the men at my base were the men you and Leo dumped halfway through their training.”

Raphael physically flinched.

“I’ve had to teach them _all_ , on my own. They have no clue on half the stuff we knew when we were eight! How the hell were they supposed to hold off an attack, Raph? How the hell?”

“Mikey, I-”

“Uncle Mike?” A small voice piped up, and both turtles turned to see the kid Raph had spoken to earlier, standing small in the corridor. “Are you ok?”

“Oh, Luke.” Running his (only) hand over his face, Mikey knelt down, letting the boy practically leap at him and rubbing his back.

“Y-Your arm…”

“I’m gonna be fine, Luke, it’s ok.” Mikey deliberately kept his gaze forward over the child’s shoulder.

Swallowing, Raph closed his eye and took a deep breath, before glancing at Mikey. His baby brother physically turned himself away. 

“Uncle Mike, you’re crying.”

“I’m fine, Luke, I’m fine.”

Clenching his fists, he let out the breath and marched away, walking back down the corridor and towards the entrance of the base. Nodding at the guard, he slipped away into the dank sewer tunnel, letting the darkness hide the tears falling down his cheek.

He would not return for a long, long time.

**Author's Note:**

> A little something I wrote to practice writing Raph's character. 
> 
> I know it can kind of seem that Mikey just has a go at him when he was trying to help, but Raph appeared at the wrong moment when Mikey's at his lowest and, to be fair, Mikey has every reason to be angry. 
> 
> I was also trying to show how Mikey was forced to grow up and become a hero, but I don't know how well that turned out.


End file.
